Friedberger Musiksommer

A Festival with High Aspirations in a Small Town

Since its founding in 2002, the Friedberger Musiksommer has developed into one of the most renowned classical and jazz festivals in Swabia. Behind the program is a team of four organizers and around 30 volunteers, who invest approximately 900 working hours annually. The Artistic Directors are Karl-Heinz Steffens (conductor and clarinetist, former clarinetist of the Berliner Philharmoniker) and pianist Michal Friedländer.

Venues Steeped in History

The festival utilizes three distinctive venues in historic Friedberg:

• Stadtpfarrkirche St. Jakob – grand symphonic and sacred concerts
• Wittelsbacher Schloss – intimate chamber music in a courtly setting
• Rothenberghalle – children's concert, gala, and matinee

Ambitious Programme Between Classical and Jazz

The festival deliberately blends classical music, chamber music, and jazz. In past years, guests have included jazz vocalist Jocelyn B. Smith and the Norrköpings Symfoniorkester from Sweden. Karl-Heinz Steffens himself describes the festival as a “large musical family that has grown over 25 years.”

Support from the Bavarian Cultural Fund

For the 2026 anniversary programme, the Friedberger Musiksommer received funding of €45,000 from the Bavarian Cultural Fund, as well as an additional €10,000 from the Bavarian State Parliament's initiative fund – a clear commitment from Bavarian cultural funding to this volunteer-run festival.

Friedberg near Augsburg

Friedberg is located in the district of Aichach-Friedberg in Swabia (Bavaria), east of the Augsburg city limits. With its Wittelsbacher Schloss, Marienplatz, and baroque Stadtpfarrkirche, Friedberg is among the most beautiful old towns in the region. The Musiksommer has used this architecturally dense backdrop as its festival atmosphere for a quarter of a century.